A Christmas Knees-Up

A little before Christmas but I guess the Friday before can have you billed as a Christmas knees-up with Hotel Lux and guests. Chilly cycle there but Debbie and I are warmed up by the time we arrive. The others are here being Pete, Wendy, Simon, Jules and they have nabbed a table next the old geezers table and they snigger at us as we try out the wobbly stool. Soon enough the first band are on. CratL start off with a traditional Celtic number getting a bit of jigging going but then they go into a electronic set which is interesting at first as are the band with the singer topless and throwing Iggy style shapes. To be honest the 70s electro pop theme is a bit too reminiscent for us old ones and the novelty soon wears off. The young punters love them though and the place is rammed which admittedly is not hard for the Windmill dance floor. I'm wondering if they are famous offshoots from other bands but can't see that after I get home and web search them. Next up are Yowl who are reminiscent of the Libertines which is a damn sight better than 70s electronic disco. They have a lot of energy and Simon is down the front whilst us others loiter towards the back. When Simon returns to the fold he's moaning that no one was dancing at the front and people kept on pushing him to get away from them. What's the point of a dance floor if you don't dance? Exactly! Anyways they are a good band as my memory aka blog says that they were when last seen on new years eve bringing in Debbie's birthday and the year 2019. Supporting Hotel Lux as it happens. We all haven't seen each other for a while so a lot of time is spent chatting and not doing the bands the justice their efforts deserve. As we are missing the Windmill NYE / Debbie's birthday party this year Wendy gives her a present which is a star named after her. There's a David Essex song in there somewhere. Yowl finish with Wham!'s Last Christmas which is a surprise but there again you should be prepared to be surprised at the Windmill. Last up are Hotel Lux who we've seen a couple of times before at least. They play a good dancy set which Simon tries to dance to down the front with the same results. The rest of us jig around at the back interspersed with chatting. Pete and Wendy depart for the long haul home to hugs and see you in 2025. The four left finish Simon's bottle of red before taking leave saying enjoy down under see you in a month and which days to feed the cat over Christmas. Turns out I have a Santa like trip on the day itself so dilemma before or after my full Xmas dinner. So a great night as usual at the Windmill. Only downside is that everyone on stage was male, or at least seemed to be, apart from one woman singing on one track for Hotel Lux which I think was a very guest appearance as I'm sure she was singing I've Forgotten the Fucking Words at one point. So Debbie and I cycle through the Blenheim Gardens estate to the sound of bird song. Hang on. It's the winter solstice and the sun won't be up for 8 hours this can't be the dawn chorus surely. We think it's some weird recording which must weird out the local birds even more than us. On crossing the South Circ there is a helicopter overhead and we see flashing blue lights up the road. At the end of Agnes Riley gardens we have to stop and jump on the pavement as 8 speeding police cards come round the roundabout the wrong way. It's obviously a busy night. I later read that an unidentified object had invaded British airspace and the Met had arrested a tubby bloke for breaking and entering who was stuck inside a chimney. So if you don't get any pressies kiddies sue the Met. And good luck with that!

Rudolph in hiding

Hotel Lux I think

Yowl possibly

Yowl probably

Cratl definitely

Leeds' Sound

Debbie and I train up to Leeds being picked up by Ramsay at Menston. Jo prepares nibbles before our evening out which is Malcolm's 70th birthday bash at the White Horse just down the road. It's a great night of drinking and dancing and a bit of punk rock style karaoke (i.e. grabbing the DJ mic and singing badly) and fun is had by all. See below for embarrassing videos taken by Debbie. Nice to catch up with Sarah and Malcolm and Lisa and various other Otley & environs folk. After we are evicted the four of us retire to the round pod thingy overlooking the Wharf where we chat and drink until about 4 o'clock. We've got a lot of catching up - I haven't seen Ramsay and Jo since early September, having seen them once a month since May.

Saturday I am decidedly delicate. We drive to Harrogate where Debbie visits Bronwyn and the rest of oui three wander around a local park wondering at an amazingly huge wisteria and then duck inside the cafe to avoid the drizzle. Back home I'm wondering if I'll make it out tonight but one of Jo's currys (reheated from the summer garden party) and a glass of English sparkling wine whilst sitting in the hot tub revives me and I'm ready for a night in Leeds. I persuade the others to taxi in as I'm concerned that I'll deteriorate during the 45 minute bus ride. Extravagant but you can't take it with you. From Headingly onwards the roads are packed with folk in fancy dress and in various stages of drunkenness although it's not 8 pm yet. Apparently this is the norm indeed for nearly every night of the week. The Fenton pub we go in is packed with pissed fancy dressers except for a few sitting at tables, which we do. We wander up to the University which is also thronged with wandering drunks but as we go into the venue the variously aged crowd look normal. We're here the see the latest Leeds sound sensation Deadletter who take the stage soon enough. A 6 piece with 2 guitars and a sax. The vocalist is shirtless as he takes the stage and we are treated to a post punk slightly goth grunge sound which to me is the sound of Leeds bands. Certainly no hint of improvisation leaning into jazz here unlike a lot of London bands not even the sax. They're a great band with a lot of energy with the singer throwing himself around in contortions as was one of the guitarists. A few tips taken from FWFB and Iggy if not Jagger and it's a great swaggering stage show. The crowd love them and mosh pits and circles are created especially when the singer enters the crowd to sing. The music is not quite hard core enough for seriously dangerous moshing and I'm on the edges anyway trying to groove to the music rather than pogo and bash into others. And they do have a certain groove underlying the harder sound and the sax plays a low pitch throughout making me think of Roxy Music's more laid back grooves. So a great gig and we taxi back home for a quick night cap and a relatively early night. Sunday I feel better than 24 hours before and after breakfast we are chauffeured back to Menston for the journey home. Thanks to Ramsay and Jo for the great weekend...

Wisteria

Deadletter

Iggy?

Scary Fairy Moth Goth Garage Bash

Thursday sees Debbie and myself cycling up to the Windmill for a Hallowe'en party. I'm wondering if by not dressing we'll seem like party poopers but we are not alone. Quite a few are obviously dressed for the evening spookiness and others we're not sure if they are or just the usual zany Windmill look. A very young crowd in tonight. First up are Charlemagne (billed as spooky noise) who set the vibe off well with a quirky set ranging from soulfulness through heavy rock riffing to weird indie noise treading on the toes of Alternative TV, or at least threatening to. A solid start to what will be a fair few bands this weekend. After the usual sojourn to the garden we're back in for Pyongyang (billed as spooky electro) who continue the vibe delivering an excellent mix of proper funk and indie soulfulness dipping into some seriously excellent thrash and climaxing with a great banging dance track Straight Outta Madchester (not it's name, my description). Last up is the headliner we've come to see having loved seeing her before and recently chatted to with her family. Yes its Vanity Fairy who obviously seamlessly between small pub clubs to big venue stages and back again. Vanity Fairy (billed at spooky disco) serves her usual great set of feel good disco encouraging the crowd to get into the vibe and gives us a fair bit of banter which more bands really should do more of after all you're here to entertain us. The backing tracks are a great mix of unashamedly danceable disco with brilliant vocals slipping into upbeat soul at times. Vanity loves to come out into the crowd at one point singing from behind a grubby (what isn't in this place, apart from the beer pipes which seem clean enough) glass door (which incidentally leads to nowhere) and then does her usual stint of singing behind the bar. This is slightly awkward as at the time I've asked for a Newkie Brown and the barman is intently pouring it by the bar opening so our singer has to wait until he notices her and stands aside looking slightly puzzled as to why she would want to come behind the bar. Meanwhile I'm looking embarrassed sort of pumping my arms up in the air in a poor attempt to show my enthusiasm. Ever the pro Vanity simply hover there as if part of the show before sidling down the bar down to the mixing desk. It's a great set which starts with surprisingly few in the audience but by the end it's a seething mass of disco divas and Travolta wannabes. All in a Windmill style of course. Even the woman with the flashing red spider on her back is grooving along. Vanity looks amazing as always not sure it's too scary an outfit but her usual retro diva style (warning, I know very little about fashion so take that with a pinch of the proverbial). Debbie and I have a big weekend coming up so we don't wait around to chat to our scary Fairy friend (well, acquaintance) so hop on our trusty steeds for home. 

I just love this 5 string bass pic

Charlemagne

Pyongyang

Vanity Fair

Vanity Fairy think her headlights are on the blink

Friday first day of November and Bruce arrives in the afternoon. After a delicious and nourishing Debbie delivered lentil shepherds pie we start the trek to Hackney Central for our gig. We arrive to see the last half of Body Horror who are a great indie south London post punk band with dance grooves. A bit disappointing as Simon had identified this gig on the strength of watching Body Horror in a proper venue as we saw them a few weeks ago in Dean Street where dancing was not that easy. Simon arrives even later than us. So we still need to see then do a full set in a good venue. Ah well, it's a good reason to show Bruce the Moth Club and to meet up with Pete and Wendy closer to their manor compared to the Windmill. Wendy's nephew Gary (who used to be my drummer, well, I say that in the loosest of senses) is here so good to catch up with him and to meet his girlfriend Christina. I'm always slightly wary of Goth bands as they range from good to awful with looks to match. My fears are unfounded as 

Black Doldrums are indeed firmly in the Goth camp musically but on the right side of the heavily drawn mascara line in that they don't wear it although possibly the drummer has a hint (although note previous disclaimer re. fashion). Anyway's we are here for the music and our trio play a great set that reminds me very much, not being a Goth aficionado,  of The Sisters of Mercy with a Banshees drum and bass vibe and a Bauhaus guitar and general sound. The singer guitarist's voice is Goth like but sometimes he ups the pitch. It veers between and around grunge and Goth in a great way and after the long grunge guitar sodden encore we all agree that they are a fine band. They have a good crowd in tonight (I think sold out) which ranges from ageing types (like us) through to youngsters. We're wondering why they have such an older following as they seem pretty young. The tall guitarist vocalist is a bit Thurston Moore like in visual style, and sometimes the guitar, whilst the bassist has a 'tache and mullet style which I assume is the new Goth (see previous disclaimer)? The woman drummer holds the whole set together with a proper post punk grunge beat but tight enough to allow the guitarist some meanderings without us losing the soul of the song. So well worthwhile the travelling talking of which we leave soon after the end for our trek south of the Thames. We find out that the Doldrums are playing the Whitby Goth Festival this weekend which Ramsay and Jo are attending but of course Ramsay knows of them already. Coincidentally The Cure are playing a low key pre tour show at the fairly close Troxy which I was thinking would have been good to go to but tickets were only 2 per applicant in a lottery style... and £56. You made the right choice Jim.

Body Horror

Black Doldrums

Saturday we have an easy breakfast before Bruce and I take a stroll on the Common then lunch. By the time we cycle to Champion Hill the spitting of rain has stopped and it's pretty warm out considering the date. We're here to see the "Isthmian League nearish the top of the table clash" against Wingate and Finchley. We find a spot right on the halfway line is the Toilets Opposite terracing stand. Having had a pretty poor last few games I'm concerned by how fluid Wingate and more so after they score before half time. We come out fighting for the second half with our own more fluid play getting the crowd going and we soon get the equaliser scored by our big lad Jerome Binnom-Williams. After that the game is really end to end and very entertaining albeit nerve wracking when they break. The manager brings on our hero Danny Mills who delivers the business deep into stoppage time to send the Dulwich crowd delirious. A fantastic end to a great game. We cycle back for curry (thanks Debbie) the the two of us are soon out again dropping by Simon's to deliver files and pick him up cycling down to the Windmill. 

One header we didn't win.

Of course Bruce has to visit the Windmill to check out the latest London fashions. It's fairly tame tonight although there does seem to be a profusion of cowboy hats (turns out related to a band) and some who look like they were on Thursday and couldn't be bothered to remove make up or change (see previous disclaimer). Tonight is billed as Garagebashing turns 20 with the tag "There's been a hell of a lot of hangovers in that time and the lust for life continues" so should be fun. Now bear in mind that I'm not 100% sure as to whether I have all band names correct but to paraphrase Eric M I am reviewing all the right bands, not necessarily in the right order.

First up (for us at least) are the oddly named European Taxis (I'm pretty sure of that) who hail from Liverpool and start us off with an excellent grungy set at times going pretty psyche reminiscent of Hawkwind (who isn't to me!)  The tight rhythm section with the great guitar work make the sound great. This is augmented by a keyboard player who is often supporting the tune then at times comes out front and central with a swirling full on vibe. Bruce and Simon seem to think Beatles influences but I I that's just cos they know they're from Liverpool. The keyboard player looks very laid back in fact I wondered if he was playing an instrument at all as he just looks around him and his arms are straight by his side. When I sidle round for a better look I see that he's playing a very low down keyboard. I think he's amused by this when I tell him outside afterwards but he has such as wry smile I'm not certain. Anyway, a great start to the night. I think that Yerblooze are next on. They start with a full on country song and then descend into a cacophony of noise which would give the Good Missionaries a run for their money which is a bit too much for Bruce but I'm seeing the the psyche-like Hawkwind side of the noise. I'm wondering if they are improvising at least at times as especially the bassist seems to wait a while after the start of each song before tentatively joining in and then getting into whatever groove the guitarists are in which can't be that easy to assess. The fiddle player is much the same though not quite as critical to the way that the songs go. The lead guitarist does say that he's not used to fronting a band and therefore not used to chatting to the audience. As he's re-tuning the bassist is left to chat to the audience which he does hesitantly not sure what to say. Parallels the set... chaotic but enjoyable. For me at least and quite a few others in the crowd. After a while Body Farm take the stage who are a dirty country and western band exactly as you'd expect to see at the Windmill. They're the reason crumpled straw cowboy hats are in vogue tonight. They go down well with the audience which is unsurprising as they have whiff of those south London, if not UK, darlings FWFB. Next is one of the Windmill typical oddities being Pink Eye Club who is a singer with backing tracks. He's a lot like Mike Skinner's The Streets in a disco both musically in a indie club rap style and in his delivery. And lyrical content which I think is the only bit Bruce likes. Simon and I are bopping around as are a good number of the crowd. It's a fun interlude to the night's festivities and just the sort of thing why we love the Windmill. Last up at the witching hour are Children of the Pope who I've seen a couple of times the first 5 years ago and not too impressed then 18 months ago and very impressed. Tonight they are very impressive again delivering a great set of... well I'll lazily cut and paste what I last wrote... they deliver a barnstorming set that is like a beat group clashed with old school garage (see 1960s not 70s or millennial) with a touch of country and a great West Coast 60s vocal harmonies. Halfway through they have a woman singer come on who they say used to be in the band and I assume 5 years ago when I wrote that the woman singer isn't overly energetic, to say the least, and it seems some times she can't be bothered to sing. Maybe so unbothered that she left the band. Anyways she seems into the vibe tonight as are the rest of the band. The bassist is the front man from the last band. They generate a decent sized mosh pit that isn't too dangerous so Simon and I bop about on the edge in that no mans land between full on moshing and the line of audience that isn't into dancing. An awkward spot. Or would be if you cared. Which when you're listening to a band like this you can't be. Once they're off we take our leave as it's late and the end of my 3rd consecutive night out. Having unlocked D locks we hug Simon goodbye and Bruce and I cycle home. 

Children of the Pope

More kids

Ole Pink Eyes

Body Farm ?

Yerblooze ?

European Taxis

Proof of the keyboard

Sunday sees a quiet morning before I walk Bruce to the tube then back home I sludge in front of the telly watching lower league FA Cup ties which has a 1970s feel to it and write this blog. A great weekend.

FlUmmoxed

It's hard to resist a night of proper hard core especially if Canadian and with my friend in NZ Zayn telling me I need to go and Olly seeing them in Cardiff I persuade Pete to accompany me so we meet at Oslo and chat about his recent 5 week holiday aka home de-barnacle-ing in a Kent boat yard somewhere down the Thames on the Isle of Grain. Great Expectations for tonight indeed. Although the bar is well staffed and not busy buying drinks isn't easy here especially if you deal in cash. Pete's first attempt was to give the woman behind the bar "the extra 40p in change" so she could give him just notes and pound coins back. She kept on saying that he'd given her too much and he had to explain the reasoning. Not easy in a noisy pub. Next round, after another woman behind the bar had wandered off trying to find Roadie on the pumps which Pete had mistakenly asked for, when Pete waved cash she said "That's 12 point 4 pounds please" which threw Pete somewhat until he understood what she was on about. God knows what she would have said pre-decimalisation. Oh how we giggled when she handed Pete the change and he quipped "thanks for the two point six pounds change". Sorry, as usual I've strayed away from the point of this blog which is to tell you about the music...

The support band are meant to be very good (and indeed Olly said that they were in Wales) but although competent enough they weren't quite what I was expecting as support for the Canadians. The Tubs deliver a fair set but very 80s rock and even the guest singer doesn't make a huge difference. The Scottish drummer think's he's hilarious by insulting all the English in the audience. Why do that? Some sort of machismo thing? As if any of us could be arsed to have a go at him. Maybe some sort of inferiority complex he has. And I do not tar all those north of the border with that brush. Pete is ambivalent of course and tells me I should be too as I'm practically west of the border as is he. The Alarm is Pete's dismissive summary and with that we sidle outside for fresh air.

Back inside the by now packed smallish room (they seem to be playing smaller and smaller venues) Fucked Up take the stage and launch into a brilliant hard core punk set with the main man's guttural shouty vocals well supported by the great rhythm section, that bass is so badass, and the two guitars which give the band their edge over many hard core punk bands by lending a little sophistication dare I say psyche to the proceedings. It's a great set with old faves and new tunes which gets the varied crowd going including a smallish mosh pit and a lone crowd surfer who was carried around on up turned arms in a very orderly manner. Funny that although pretty hard core they're not a massively moshy band. Their last song is a slice of near funky Madchester groovyness which is ended by each musician leaving the stage until just left with drummer and bassist and then just the former for a drum solo. Thankfully the only bit of rock stupidity (they are hardly ever worthwhile). Luckily we are treated to a one song encore. A great gig and Pete is glad I suggested.

Outside having a last pint we chat to an ageing Plymouth punk in a brand new Chelsea T shirt and being a drummer we have a confusing discussion about cymbals (my fault having just read that the Slits didn't like them). On the way into Hackney Central I say thanks in passing the stage door to the bassist who says thanks back. No I didn't offer to help her lug the kit into wherever the van was parked. A crowded train to Highbury and Islington full of inebriated Halloween celebrants. Next day I blow the cobwebs away with a cycle to Richmond Park and then meander through Mitcham and environs which is why there's a lovely photo of deer below.

The Tubs

FU

Richmond Park

And for those who like yer vids Fked Up make some of the best:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OraCnnqObRU - with Duchess Says and 4 guitarists

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_sMjHbuQy8 - Madchester

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syg6XGbdUkM - so so good

Party with Fairy

I love a good stat... and these are pretty damn good hey?

15th Oct 2022 - 20 at Leeds Brudenell

17th Oct 2023 - 1,200 at Hackney Earth

17th Oct 2024 - 16,000 at Hammersmith Apollo (over 3 nights)

OK so Leeds was part of Live at Leeds festival and there may have been a few more propping up the bar. Definitely only about 6 of us dancing. They were called just The Dinner Party back then.

And in the last year I saw them at the Roundhouse (3,300) and Glastonbury Other Stage (70,000 capacity and it was pretty full).

So The Last Dinner Party are going from strength to strength and all power to them. That well known astrophysicist and vegan the be-knighted Dr Brian May has pronounced them the new Rock Royalty which should pull in a few more fans and maybe of a varying type to their current fan base. We will rock you indeed.

Anyway I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. Debbie and I get off the tube at Hammersmith glancing up towards where the famous Hammersmith Palais was which seems to be a Nandos or maybe it was just past there. We're in the island with the new shopping centre having replaced the brilliant Clarendon Hotel scene of many a psychobilly night and the epic Big Black gig. Regardless we are off to the Apollo nee Odeon and as we approach there is a crazy long queue of mainly youngish women all excitedly shuffling along with security shouting come along now keep moving. It's only 7 pm too. Debbie and I are hustled in the side entrance as we are AAA tonight courtesy of Mary (mother of Abigail). Much thanks and love Mary! We are unfashionably early as we want to see the fashionable Vanity Fairy who is the first support act. We have seen her at the Windmill a few times and fascinated at how she will come over on a big stage. We arrive just in time and there are a lot of fans down the front already. I don't think Vanity fans although I did spot a tall guy with beard and long hair coming out of the tube with a VF tote bag. Vanity takes the stage and goes straight into a great disco set with a sort of euro slant. Her stage show is as terrific as always and her singing comes over really well in such a big space. She owns the stage making full use of it to swoop, dance and twirl around which is difficult at the Windmill as not big enough to swing a roof dog. Shows off her great outfit too. Vanity's audience interaction is as smooth as usual not being intimidated by chatting to thousands rather than dozens. Yes the crowd has grown a fair bit and a lot of bopping around. Our star can't help coming into the audience so we being not down the front lose sight of her for a while. A great set which is over all too soon. A guy and woman next to us have been waving in rhythm (yes a fair bit of that) and whooping and don't look like full on Last Dinner Party fans so I turn and ask if they've seen Vanity Fairy before. The guy is a bit choked and says yes they have in fact he's her boyfriend and it's emotional seeing her up there on the big stage. We have a good chat with them both then wander off to find Mary again. Outside having a breath of fresh air we see an older couple (as in my age) walk past with the Vanity Fairy guy from the tube. Turns out he's Vanity's (oh gosh let's call her Daisy now we know her kith and kin) brother who co writes her songs and the couple are her parents. We have a right old natter and they are lovely people. 

Back inside we watch Kaeto which I think is the name of the singer with her band. They are a good dancy band with a rocky poppy funky vibe. The singer has great hair streaming out due to a constant fan directed at her. Air fan that is. I'm afraid for me it's a bit lost between the excitement of meeting Vanity Fairy's family (OK, I have chatted with her after sets at the Windmill so I'm not starstruck) and anticipation of the headliners. A great warm up for the band, as Vanity pointed out that she was. I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone here as it used to be mainly big rock bands. It's a lot like the Brixton Academy with a lovely backdrop behind the stage.

Soon enough it's time for The Last Dinner Party to take the stage. A nice touch allowing the drummer to come on first to the excited applause (they change drummers and I think this is a new one). The band start up and applause reaches fever pitch as Abigail takes the stage. They don't launch into any humdingers but build up the atmosphere and music until we realise that we are into proper rock territory (as Dr B rightly pointed out) and headbanging away. There are obvious comparisons to Queen which I pointed out when I first saw them in the Brudenell... "The music is sharp and at times reminds me of early Queen albums with big tunes often with a traditional rock blues beat and an almost operatic front person. Excellent."  To be honest that sums them up... a great rock band with all of them having a fantastic stage presence jumping from hard rock to operatic. They've dropped their out and out rocking blues number which I loved but apparently they didn't. Can't be picky though as the whole set is magnificent. Great to see such confident and strong women rocking out like this. Whoever thought that Queen would morph with Riot Grrrl not me. Though come to think Queen were ahead of their time in their social attitude. Abigail has the audience enthralled and chats away like she's in the small clubs she was playing just a year ago. Very personable. She tells us that they are collecting for local food banks and also profusely thanks the support acts with stories about how she met both and what an influence they've been on her and the band. A lovely touch and comes over very sincerely. On my way to the bar I pass a youngish guy in a denim jacket as I have on but I don't have an Iron Maiden print on the back. Old school. I tell him he looks cool and I hope he doesn't think I'm taking the piss as I would have been back in the day. Kudos wearing that to the Last Dinner Party mate. I won't go through all the band's songs let's just say that by the very end they finish on the hard hitting and no holds barred Nothing Matters the climax being a massive shower of confetti which covers all of us in the stalls. Very appropriate given the songs chorus. And such great fun putting massive smiles on everyone's faces even after the band leave the stage and we wade through the floor extracting paper from our unprotected orifices (ears, mouths and somehow inside my glasses case).  

We are with Mary all this time and quite rightly she's very proud of her girl on stage. We spot Daisy's family and all go upstairs to the bar with our AAA passes. Here we chat about the gig. Abigail sails over to hug us having a chat then floats off to mingle. We happen to chat to Emily (lead guitar) dad and she comes over so we say hello. Daisy and her boyfriend (sorry, name has gone from poor memory) come over and we enthuse about the gig and chat about other stuff like the Windmill, bands we know and how we met our partners. The usual. Then possibly the highlight of my night. Debbie says that Daisy's dad is into cycling and I should chat to him. He says he used to do a bit of cycling then stopped for years before Daisy go him going again. We chat bikes then he blithely mentions that he was British Road Race Champion for 2 years and won the Team Trial gold at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. Sorry musicians, singers, disco divas and rock stars... this is a proper champ. Steve kindly asks me about my bike riding saying how doing 70 miles isn't to be sniffed at. I daren't ask if he wants to go out for a ride - he still looks like he's probably a grimpeur who would leave me watching his backside accelerate away at the slightest incline if not before. Luckily they live in Suffolk! Anyways, it's a great way to end the night and after saying our farewells Debbie and I try our luck on the midnight tubes (remember it's a Thursday not the weekend) and luckily get District, Victoria and Northern line home. It's been an epic night and loads of fun. I usually avoid places like the Odeon but maybe I should stop pining for the Palais and Clarendon as they are long gone. By the way, for more in depth analysis of music by The Last Dinner Party and Vanity Fairy see past blogs.

Big thanks, hugs and love to Mary for making it special for us.

The crowd - before 7!

AAA (on the other side :-)

Vanity Fairy

Kaeto

Not the Clarendon Hotel

Vanity - I like the crescent moon in this

I may have the shakes - but great effects :-)

The Last Dinner Party

TLDP

Taken from further back to where we were

Ticker tape confetti

Daisy's mum; Debbie; Mary (great T); cycling champ (chapeau); Daisy's bro and co-writer

The Joy of Cash Back

Simon's give me a heads up for the "Cash Back Musical Extravaganza" which apparently has bands with various Fat White Family Band members and one of the Alabama 3. It's at a venue I've not been to before in Dean Street (heart of Soho for non Londoners) called All is Joy so definitely worth a try. It's billed as a 2 am finish which is slightly worrying for ageing hipsters like us but early compared to our EOTR outings (see previous blog) and of course there are all night tubes these days. We arrange to meet at the Crown and Two Chairmen but I arrive first and it's so hideously crowded (i.e. very crowded with hideous folk) that I wait outside watching the tourists stumble past. I don't remember Soho being so full of tourists. Simon arrives and we enter the venue stopping briefly to check out the records on sale (for any younger viewers that means 12" albums made of vinyl aka plastic). Then we go up to the bar where Simon removes his coat to show off the full glory of his white trousers and jacket (last seen as The Dancing Jacket at EOTR). It's full of trendy looking folk either in their 20s or in their 60s or so it seems. So we fit in nicely. Top end. The bar is a small cocktail bar with beer only in cans which Simon and I plum for being stingy and not wanting to knock back the drink too quickly. In the corner is a guitarist singer who's vainly asking us to be a bit quieter so that we can hear her play. Or hear herself play. Not an ideal venue for an acoustic guitar (albeit through mic) but she perseveres and has a decent crowd watching her. I think that this is Binti Red singing soulful musings. We wander off along the corridors peeking into darkened rooms marked Studio A and such like and lounging on comfy sofas in a small room until we are evicted. This complex used to be a Warner Brothers production house hence the various rooms and the cinema which is where we now head for. A strange place as it's obviously for viewing films in production or final edits so we are sat at the back on comfy seats whilst in front is a flat wooden area and then 5 rows of comfy cinema chairs. The bands play in front of the screen and not raised on a stage so when we do dance we are all above the bands. We watch a loop of dance scenes from an old black and white film (web search later: Bande à part (1964)) whilst a woman and band are playing just before the stage. This is Luvcat I think. It's a low key set which has it's fans down the front but we keep our comfy chairs only disturbed by a nice young man randomly giving me a coat room ticket and a nice young girl trying to take my seat next to Simon when I'm at the bar. These are typically odd moments which the rest of the night brings both of which may have been pickup ruses but I may be flattering myself. By this time the cartoons are on replacing French film noir or whatever the dancing was. Around this time at the bar I catch the end of Hank Dog (they like their pet names at All is Joy don't they) who looks exactly as you'd expect someone with that name to look and finishes with a shout out of "Do you love me" to which the small bar crowd yells "Yes we love you". Back downstairs Simon and I chat away before the next band Body Horror come on who play a great hard electronic guitar (you can punctuate every which way) strewn set getting us all onto our feet and dancing about. Simon and I opt for the stairs going down the left hand side - 1 each like podium dancers. Around this time things slide into the weird (like a young woman who repeatedly asks us if we know Joseph, No, and if so have we seen him, No) although we glide into weirdness so slowly and subtly it's only after a while that we start wondering whether everyone else is on drugs and if so maybe we should be too. Just to keep with the vibe you understand. Anyway back to the music. We both agree we should see Body Horror again. I think one of them could possibly have played with FWFB but probably not? (Note to Simon - Dash the Henge is a coffee shop / record store in Camberwell). The final band on does have a FWFB member one of the Saoudi brothers. Uncle Daddy are a threesome (web search: the guitarist played with FWFB too) who are a keyboard player shouty singer, rock guitarist (the elusive Joseph) and singer (Nathan Saoudi ) who play a very weird mixture of disjointed dance, rap overlaid with cock rock guitaring. Simon and I dance around regardless trying both left, centre and right of stage to see if things improve. They do after a while... The promised Alabama 3's Larry Love takes the stage intermittently for a few vocals along with a woman who may or may not be Binti Red. By this time I was past caring about who was on the non-stage. Nipping up to the bar and / or loos they have tunes on varying from the sublime (The Streets) to the ridiculous (Human League, pop era). We eventually go with the flow and dance about to Uncle Daddy before going back upstairs for more weird chat. So in amongst the bands and videos we get chatting to various odd balls. I'm not sure if it's just Simon's white suit (which definitely has a lot of interest including from a tailor wondering about the perils of red wine) or the fact that we are two blokes together but everyone seems to assume that we are a couple. Or maybe it's the clientele here. I think this is why good looking young women are happy to chat to us - the alternative reality being that they are trying to chat up Simon as he looks so dapper. His sequined cat ears on his head may have something to do with either reality. I meet someone from work who keeps on saying "I can't believe that you are here in this place Jim" (he's young) who came in by accident and who seems to have made lots of friends very quickly. Maybe that's a hint as to what everyone's been consuming. My football smiley face badge fits right in. Despite all the youngsters chatting to us the only hand I get to hold is a bloke about my age dressed in a skirt who needs my assistance going down a steep step near the non-stage which he'd stumbled down earlier. To be fair I also stumbled down it and needed the assistance of a woman to haul me up when trying to get back up again. I have a good chat with the bloke about stupidly high steps, the bands, the perils of skirts when climbing steep steps and otherwise what a nice venue this is with a great vibe. Other random conversations (all with people in their 20's mind you) are a nice woman from Rhyl who says that there's a roundabout there which always has some bloke showing his arse to the traffic and that it's a nice place and a retirement place for ex-drug dealers who can't afford to retire on the Costa del Sol. She tries to persuade me and Simon to go to a nearby bar with her and her tall non-communicative male friend. We decline. Two Scousers in vests looking like Pirates of the Caribbean extras, after the post production party, who are very into the Clash and make me sing Garageland to them and their photographer friend who shows me her portfolio on her phone. That is not a euphemism. Another Welsh guy in a Cymru vest who we keep on bumping into. Various folk who seem lost and then found, by us and others. We are so into the vibe that Simon even buys the singer of Body Horror a cocktail... and of course he has to buy me one too. We leave about 1 am and I hug my work colleague good night leaving him chatting to two new friends. Strange life isn't it... I've known the guy for a decade and chatted to him at work dos but in an environment like this we're hugging each other and chatting with our arms around each other like best buddies. Like a super hero Simon changes from white suited clubbing king to ageing geezer in mac by donning his, well, his mac and we wander off through the still crowded streets to TCR tube. The journey back is easy so thanks TfL. Although night buses were a lot of fun the tube (free travel for us now!) is easier for us ageing clubbers. Must check out that venue again sometime soon as was a lot of fun. Mind you Simon and myself had similarly random chats with youngsters late at night at End of the Road and there people thought we were a couple. So lovely that you've known each other since you were 15 year olds.,,

Binti Red possibly?

Luvcat probably...?

Bande a part definitely

Hank Dog I assume

Body Horror for sure

Simon shuffling

Band and dancers morphed together

Uncle Daddy

Uncle Daddy with guests

I think we chatted to most of those who are on their feet rather than sitting glumly

EOTR24

My week in the west country starts with a train to Bath to have a coffee with Carole then on to my parents for a couple of relaxing nights catching up. Then to Oldfield Park where Jon picks me up and then us and Scottie are on our way to Dorset for the End of the Road festival. We camp next to the main entrance to the festival area and once Ramsay and Jo arrive it's into the throng. As it's Thursday not all stages are open so the Folly tent is rammed. As we saw so much this will be a quick review of most of the bands and you'll have to guess whos in each photo or check out the timings in info and match to Clashfinder where you'll find stages.
MSPAINT. Hardcore synth rap from Stateside. Check out. 
NewDad. Cure inspired indie. That bass! Very popular and rightly so.
After party indie disco getting down with the kids. Fun
Friday is a dry day. Weather wise I mean. 
Ex-Easter Island Head. Film score music. Doesn't grab me.
Hello Mary. Fantastic punk rock with an alt rock twist. Caught their sound check which the then used to loop back through the set I think through the guitar which sounded great. All you'd want in as an indie kid with a secret desire for grunge and shoegaze. One of the few bands I was determined to see and was not disappointed. After whinging about the folly of the Folly I have to admit that it brings the atmosphere of a small venue. A highlight of the weekend.
Sextile. Heavy dance punk. Great.
Colossal Squid. Drum soloist... I didn't last long.
CMAT. Not expecting much but was wandering past the the main stage and drawn into the crowd by great rocking dance tunes and CMAT's engaging chat. A proper festival act easily persuading a bit of audience participation. Anyone who sings Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights live and nails it cuts the mustard. What a great song in the midst of 70s punk and new wave. A bit like CMAT here at least for me.
Sleater-Kinney. Legendary USA grunge meets folksy country alt riot grrrl rock. Again, a great festival act. I think it was here that we first me the Lampshade Hat woman, including light switch. Crowd pleasers both band and hat.
Sprints. Back to a slice of punk delivered by an Irish band inciting me to mosh. Another great female singer. We're on a roll.
Idles. Don't need any introduction but they delivered a great set possibly best I've seen them and as I started I may as well finish moshing.
After shows at Folly see me tied to the mosh pit along with my buddies checking out harder edgier sets suitable for a club... Sextile and then Sprints.
Saturday morning after Jon makes my usual breakfast of sausages (thanks!) we try to contact Simon to let him know where we are camped before trooping off to the comedy hill for an hour or so of laughing. 
Sanam. Not on the list but luckily happen across this great Lebanese band crossing middle eastern vibes with a rocking tinge.
Debby Friday. Now Debby is on the list and doesn't disappoint with a great performance of  dancy pop rap with a little bit of edge and guitar thrown in. Probably more suited to the Folly at midnight playing to youngsters than the Boat mid afternoon with an audience of middle aged parents but hey she took it all in her stride. Catch in a club.
Master Peace. Hard rapping punk influenced synth with a cock rock guitarist making the big top jump. Playing Blur's Song Two and finishing with Oasis' Wonderwall (tickets on sale earlier) show a fine audience appreciation.
Camera Obscura. Surprisingly very popular ageing jangle merchants where I eventually meet Simon looking dapper in white.
Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan. Great name synth fiddler but not engaged by this plan.
Slowdive. Headliners tonight where we catch up with Maya & Gill for a great shoegaze grungy set much better than I expected. Dance til you drop.
Casisdead. Hard rap grime on a great recommendation from Simon. 
Afters is the Boat in the wood for a great and crowded soul, RnR, ska, reggae, northern soul disco. Then Simon and I chill at the craft beer bar (where Maya is working but not tonight) for early hours techno house.
Sunday we wander towards the comedy hill catching...
Molly Lewis. The whistling woman. Not sure I get it a all. 
Massive queue for the comedy half mile long possibly so that's off.
Girl And Girl. A great way to properly start the day with a great Australian 70s pre punk band and great lyrics. Simply great.
Julianna Riolino. As she keeps telling us serves Canadian hard country rock but rain drives punters away including us.
Thus Love.  Competent enough rock but nothing to write home about, except in my blog
Simon and I wander about doing a bit of juggling and other impressive tricks.
Nation of Language. Best chance of seeing Becky and Simon but I don't. Good enough indie rock.
Altin Gün. Dutch Turkish band with great funky tunes prompting lots of dancing in Simon's white Dance Tuxedo before we get too hot then it's just shirt sleeves.
Snõõper. The band I wanted to see most having caught at the Windmill last year. Didn't disappoint. Brilliantly delivered Kansas garage punk complete with papier mache head on stage. Folly Folly all is well and truly forgiven. Full on moshing. Just fantastic.
Yo La Tengo. Another legendary American alt rock band playing a fine set to a crowd of dancers. 
Back to Folly for...
Lambrini Girls.  Third time this year and well worth it delivering a politically charged set creating a huge mosh complete with beach lilo crowd surfing including the singer and coming close to Snooper for fun if not edging ahead. You couldn't put a king size rizla between them. My only complaint is getting us all to crouch down on the ground before leaping up into a mosh. The moshing I can take, it's the crouching down with dodgy ageing footballer's knees that kills me.
Altun Gun. After show hard edged beats.
Simon and I retire to the Boat for another dose of the Rock n Roll disco then chat at bars with youngsters taking or coming down off various substances chatting about who accidentally hit who in the Snooper mosh pit, the "which band should you should see art installation", how long Simon and I had known each other and no we're not a couple. I think it's time to turn in when when I realise I'm telling a 32 year old to have lots of unprotected sex with her boyfriend but in my defence the conversation had naturally reached that point. As far as I remember. Back to bed around 3 then up a few hours later to pack and leave.
Monday morning a bit of drizzle which stops by the time we emerge. Simon cycles off and after goodbyes to Ramsay and Jo Jon and Scottie drop me off at Warminster. My train is extended at Salisbury not knowing that Simon is in that part of the train. We realise when we meet at Clapham Junction. A great festival and soon enough we are buying again for next year. Thanks to my buddies who may read this for all the fun and to anyone else I chatted to during the weekend who most likely won't read this. Ah, the uncertain life of a professional blogger.